Fibers



Nov. 4, 1958 A. BOER 2,858,573

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CLEANING WOOL FIBERS IN THE DRY STATE Filed Oct. 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. W' 3 Nov. 4, 1958 A. BOER 2,858,573

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CLEANING WOOL FIBERS IN THE. DRY STATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. l4, 1954 INVENTOR. W 3

United States Patent O f APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CLEANING WOOL FIBERS IN THE DRY STATE Arpad Boer, Buenos Aires, Argentina, assignor, by mesnc assignments, to Bancroft-Brillotex International S. A., Montevideo, Uruguay, a corporation of Uruguay Application October 14, 1954, Serial No. 462,323 7 Claims. (Cl. 19-67) The present invention relates to apparatus and procedure for cleaning wool fibers in the dry state and more particularly to the combined drawing and frictioning of the fibers with a grease-absorbent detergent powder which intermingles with the fibers passing through the apparatus and being processed.

According to the invention, wool fibers in the dry state are subjected to the action of an apparatus comprising a series of pairs of calendar rolls each pair of which is composed of two smooth cylindrical rolls of elastic material arranged with their axes parallel to each other and their surfaces as tangents for yieldingly gripping and compressing the wool while engaging substantially only the surface of the wool. The successive pairs of rolls are arranged so that the fibers can pass from one pair to the next with each succeeding pair of rolls being rotated at a higher speed than the preceding pair of rolls to provide a speed gradient from low to high in the direction of fiber movement. The difference in speed from one pair of rolls or elements to the next produces drawing and drafting of the fibers. The apparatus is provided with a feeder for wool fibers and a feeder for detergent powder adjacent the entrance end of the series of pairs of rolls so that the fibers and detergent powder intermingle and effect frictional cleaning as the fibers pass through the apparatus. The rolls of each pair press against each other to produce frictional pressure on and between the fibers and the detergent powder. The individual rolls of each pair are rotated at the same or different interrelated speeds. A suitable receptacle with a collector ;and conveyor for used detergent powder is provided at the exit end of the series of pairs of rolls. By this means ithe fibers are rapidly and efliciently cleaned without dam- ;aging them and while subjecting them to drawing and drafting.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a schematic side elevational view, partly in section, of apparatus embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of the machine in which the individual rolls of each pair of rolls are rotated at different speeds.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the apparatus comprises a series of pairs of calender rolls ah, each pair being composed of smooth cylindrical rolls 1, 2 of elastic material arranged with their axes 3, 4 parallel to each other and their surfaces as tangents. The pairs of rolls or elements are disposed at a minimum distance from one another to enable the fibers to pass from one pair of rolls or elements to the next and each succeeding pair of rolls or elements is continuously rotated or driven at a greater speed than the preceding pair, as indicated by the increasingly longer directional arrows from top to bottom of the figures of the drawings.

In Fig. 1, the rolls of each pair are rotated at the same speed whereas in Fig. 2 one roll of each pair is rotated at a speed greater than that of the other roll of that pair and an auxiliary roll 19 below and in contact 2,858,573 Patented Nov. 4, 1958 with each roll 2 to prevent the fibers from following around with the faster roll of each pair. Each roll 1 or 2 has a rotary brush 6 or 7 associated therewith to keep the roll free of adherent material and below each such brush is disposed a downwardly inclined plate 11 or 12 to discharge material received from the brush to the bottom of the apparatus where it is collected and conveyed away.

The fibers 5 to be cleaned and processed are fed between the first pair of rolls Aa by a conveyor 8 and a feeder 10 for fator wax-absorbing detergent powder discharges such powder into the fibers so that the fibers and detergent powder become intermingled. Beyond the last pair of rolls there is a conveyor 9 which delivers the cleaned and processedfibers out of the apparatus.

Below the lowermost inclined plate 11, there is a collecting receptacle 13, the sides of which slope downwardly to a collector portion 14 in which there is a discharge device 15 and, similarly, there is a collecting receptacle 16, below the lowermost plate 12, with a like collector portion 17 and discharge device 18.

The operation and the carrying out of the processing will be clear from the foregoing. The fibers and detergent powder intermingle and pass through the pairs of rolls whereby the fibers are subjected to continuous feeding, drawing and drafting, and frictioning occurs between the fibers and the detergent powder to cause the detergent powder to absorb fats and waxes from the wool. In this way, clean wool fibers can be obtained rapidly and efiiciently.

The foregoing is intended as illustrative and not as limitative since modifications as to details may be made without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

' I laim:

1. Apparatus for cleaning wool fibres in the dry state, comprising a series of pairs of calendar rolls each pair of which is composed of two smooth cylindrical rolls of elastic material arranged with their axes parallel to each other and their surfaces as tangents, said pairs of calender rolls being arranged at a minimum distance from each other so that the fibres can pass from one pair of calender rolls to the next, each succeeding pair of calender rolls being rotated at a higher speed than the preceding pair of calender rolls so that the series of pairs of calender rolls has a speed gradient from low to high in the direction of movement of the fibres, the difference in speed between the rolls of one pair of calendar rolls with relation to the next being sutficient to produce drawing and drafting of the fibres in their passage from each pair of calender rolls to the next and, adjacent the entrance end of the series of pairs of calender rolls, the apparatus being provided with a feeder for wool fibres and a feeder for detergent powder which intermingle and efiect frictional cleaning when the wool fibres pass through the apparatus.

2. Apparatus for cleaning wool fibres in the dry state comprising a series of pairs of calender rolls arranged to form a passage from the first of such pairs, which constitutes the entrance, to the last of such pairs, which constitutes the exit, each pair of calender rolls being composed of two smooth cylindrical rolls ofelastic material whose axes are parallel to each other and whose surfaces are tangent, successive pairs of rolls being spaced apart just far enough to permit the wool fibres to pass from one pair of calender rolls to the next, each succeeding pair of calender rolls being rotated at a higher speed than the preceding pair of calender rolls, thus forming a speed gradient from low to high in the series in the direction of movement of the fibres and the speed difference from one pair of calender rolls to the next being sulficient to produce drawing and drafting during passage of the wool fibres through the apparatus, a feeder for W001 fibres and a hopper feeder for detergent powder being provided atthe saidentrance to the series of pairs of calender rolls. 7

3. Apparatus for cleaning wool fibres in the dry state comprising a series of pairs of calender rolls each of which is composed of two smooth rollers of elastic ma terial Whose axes are parallel to each other and which are pressed against each other so that they are capable of producing in tangential direction a frictional pressure on and between the fibres and detergent powder passing therebetween, the apparatus being provided at its entrance end to the series of pairs of rollswi'th a feeder for fibres and a hopper feeder for detergent powder, the pairs of calender rolls being arranged at a minimum distance apart so that the fibres can pass from each pair of rolls to the next, and each succeeding pair of calender rolls being rotated at a higher speed than the preceding pair of calender rolls to form a speed gradient from one end of the apparatus to the other, the increase in speed from one pair of calender rolls to the next being sufficient to produce drawing and drafting of the fibres in their passage through the series and cleaning of said fibre by said detergent powder.

4. Apparatus for cleaning wool fibres in the dry state in accordance with claim 3, in which each roll of each pair of calender rolls has at least one associated cleaning roll and in which, at the exit from the series of pairs of calender rolls, there is a receptacle with a collector and conveyor for used detergent powder.

5. Apparatus for cleaning wool fibres in the dry state in accordance with claim 3, in which the speeds of rotation of the individual rolls of each pair of rolls are different and interrelated.

6. A process for cleaning dirty wool fibres comprising adding a grease-absorbing detergent powder to a moving stream of such fibres, passing the wool fibres and the admixed detergent through a series of pairs of smooth elastic calender rolls of which each succeeding pair of rolls has a higher speed than the preceding pair of rolls so as to form an increasing speed gradient in the direction of movement of the fibres to draft and clean them by differential pressure and frictional action in their passage through said series of pairs of calender rolls.

7' A process for cleaning dirty wool fibers comprising adding a grease-absorbing detergent powder to a moving stream of such fibers, continuously feeding and drafting by passing the wool fibers and the admixed detergent through a series of pairs of calender elements, of which each pair yieldingly grips and compresses the wool, engaging substantially only the surface of the wool, each succeeding pair of elements being continuously driven at a higher speed than the preceding pair of elements so as to form an increasing speed gradient in the direction of movement of the fibers to draft and clean them by differential pressure and frictional action in their passage through said series of pairs of calender elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 613,267 Gruene Nov. 1, 1898 1,323,641 McBride Dec. 2, 1919 2,091,822 Kraift Aug. 31, 1937 2,205,701 Balmes Solanas June 25, 1940 2,247,504 Kern July 1, 1941 2,345,988 Ockrant Apr. 4, 1944 2,438,469 Wilkie Mar. 23, 1948 2,563,756 Swallow Aug. 7, 1951 2,589,797 Getchel Mar. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 63,078 Denmark Jan. 2, 1945 

